Great Deal on Zip Car Membership + Driving Credits

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Gilt City is having another nationwide Zip Car sale where there are two packages for purchase that essentially give you a one-year membership, plus driving credits that make up for the amount spent on the deal. This offer is for new members only or those whose membership expired prior to October 24, 2012and is definitely a great opportunity if you’ve been planning on purchasing a Zip Car membership anyways (which typically isn’t cheap at about $60 for the year). You must activate your membership by March 31st (your one year membership will start from activation date). The driving credit also expires 2 months from the date you activate.

If you are new to Gilt City, you can also get $15 off your first purchase by signing up here (this is a referral link, but their referral program isn’t anything great, I promise! Feel free to post your own in the comments section as well.)

Package #1: $30

One Zipcar membership

Application fee ($25 value)

Annual fee for one year ($60 value)

$30 driving credit

With this package you are paying $30, but getting the $30 back in driving credit, so evens itself out.

Package #2: $100

One Zipcar membership

Application fee ($25 value)

Annual fee for one year ($60 value)

$150 driving credit

With this package you are paying $100, but getting $150 towards driving credit. So not only are you getting a free membership year, you are also getting a bonus $50 credit on top of what you already laid out. If you plan on driving it enough, the 2nd package is by far the better value as you will be ahead by $50. You can read more about individual rates per hour and day on their website here – make sure to select your city of choice as rates differ per city.

Zipcar is located in many cities across the US, Canada, and UK (view cities here), however, this promotion is not valid for University or Zipcar for Business memberships. Additionally, availability is limited within the areas around college campuses within San Diego, Dallas, and Houston.

Some things to know with this deal:

Redeem by: Sunday, March 31, 2013

Offer is subject to availability

Driving credit may be used over multiple reservations and expires two months from activation date

Annual membership auto-renews unless canceled

Must be 21 or older

Members must have valid U.S. driver’s license issued at least one year prior to purchase

Limit one per member; you may buy additional vouchers as gifts

Cannot be combined with any other offer

All Zipcar reservations include gas card, driver’s insurance and 180 miles of driving per 24 hours of rental

Additional mileage incurs per-mile fee

Valid only for new members and former members whose membership expired prior to October 24, 2012

Please note: availability is limited within the areas around college campuses within San Diego, Dallas and Houston (to find a car near you, please click here)

Not valid for University or Zipcar for Business membership

Refunds will be offered within seven days of membership rejection for those that do not meet driving eligibility

Promotional value expires on March 31, 2013. Paid value expires 5 years from date of purchase, longer if dictated by law

Although I have a car (one between me and the Mr.), I’ve considered getting Package #2 before when this deal has been offered in the past. I did not pull the trigger than as I realized one car in NYC is more than enough, but it is still a consideration. Also, since Zip Cars include gas, if you are going to drive close to the maximum 180 allotted miles, this could save you about $30 at the gas station!

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Comments

Bit of a tangent here – Recently moved to NY and debating whether or not to hang on to the car. Could you share your thoughts on whether you find having a car useful (I assume you live in the city) and whether you find the cost (of parking) to be worth it?

@JettyBox – I do street parking, which is not so fun. But my schedule if flexible and allows me to move my car during the day. If you are in an office job 8-6, I don;t recommend street parking. It also depends what part of city you live in.

@JettyBoy It depends on where in the city you live and what you intend to use the car for. If you’re living in Manhattan–get rid of it unless you can afford garage parking and have a frequent need to get out of the city.

If you’re living in an outer borough, it might be worth keeping. If your neighborhood only has twice a week street cleaning instead of 4 times a week, it’s not *that* huge of a hassle. For example, one side of my street is Monday and one side is Tuesday. On Sunday night, I try to be on the Tuesday side so I don’t have to worry about it in the morning and then at some point during the day (after street cleaning times) on Monday, I move it to the Monday side. I don’t have to touch it until the following weekend if I don’t want. There are some streets, though, that are Monday/Thursday on one side and Tuesday/Friday on the other and that’s a bigger hassle.

The car is useful (to me) for making the trip to see family in NJ a 40 minute drive instead of 2.5 hours+ on public transportation as well as grocery shopping while in NJ anyway (cheaper!) and visiting friends in other parts of Brooklyn or Queens that aren’t convenient to get to from me by the subway. I live in a fairly suburban part of Brooklyn (with good public transport links, to be fair, just mostly Manhattan-centric), though, so YMMV. It’s also an old car, that costs me very little beyond gas and insurance and I won’t replace it when it dies.

This is perfect timing. Our lease on car #2 is up and I am thinking of just giving it back and living off one car. We are suburban Chicagoland but there is a zipcar near us.
I didn’t see anything on gilt city about the $15 credit. Does it just not say anything until after you sign up. I want to be sure to get the credit.

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My passion (and obsession!) for travel deals and points started over nine years ago the day I graduated college and took a job in management consulting. I’d spend every Monday through Thursday hotel hoping and embarking on long plane rides just to earn the extra points and miles. Since I was traveling all the time I decided that I was really going to take advantage of the points and miles game... Learn more about Jen »

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Responses in the comments section are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and or questions are answered.